The Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath
Even in the driving rain Bath’s iconic Royal Crescent cannot fail to take one’s breath away, and slap bang in the middle of the impressive Georgian terraced row is The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa.
After an easy 2-hour sprint from South West London we pull up outside, and before I even reach for my car door a uniformed porter has beaten me to it, welcoming us cheerily, before ushering us inside under his large umbrella. Whilst we warm up by the open fire in the beautiful Georgian drawing room, our car is driven away and parked, and our luggage whisked up to our suite. As first impressions go…
Set in an acre of gorgeous gardens and just a short stroll from Bath’s city centre, the luxurious Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa recently celebrated its 250th birthday and is the only landmark building in the world that you can actually sleep in, “unless you want to try and break in to Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle” jokes Jonathan Stapleton, the hotel’s welcoming General Manager. There are 45 bedrooms in total, a mixture of palatial suites and smaller (but still generous) rooms and the décor throughout is the epitome of modern elegance; impeccably clean, beautifully stylish yet invitingly cosy. The stuccoed ceilings, opulent chandeliers, period antiques and splendid paintings are so atmospheric, but despite the grand surroundings, we felt immediately at home.
We are shown to the breath-taking John Wood suite, which boasts its own small hallway that opens out into a bijoux seating area, carefully arranged in front of a mantlepiece topped with ornaments. Gold gilded mirrors and ornate wallpaper adorn the walls, and three large windows boast incredible views over the Crescent and the honey-coloured city of Bath beyond. I turn the corner and climb up two steps (yes, the suite really is that big) and there I find a huge four-poster bed. The adjoining marble bathroom is cosy in comparison but inviting nonetheless, and spotlessly clean. As I study the Nespresso machine there’s a knock at the door and the friendly porter appears with our remaining belongings, “have you resisted the urge to jump on the bed yet?” he winks. How did he know?
Soon it is time to explore, so we descend the grand staircase and after a short walk across the pretty garden, we find the hotel’s Spa & Bath House. The changing area is surprisingly tired and doesn’t reflect the immaculate standards of the hotel’s main townhouse, but this is quickly forgotten thanks to my well-executed Elemental Herbology Clear Cleanse Facial.
The rest of the small but perfectly formed spa is a homage to natural materials, creating an instant feeling of zen. The delightfully warm 12-metre ‘Relaxation Pool’ is sunken below Bath stone brick walls, with cathedral windows overlooking the well-kept spa garden. There’s a comfortable sauna, efficient steam room and spacious ‘Vitality Pool’ with massage jets, as well as a sink brimming with crushed ice for the brave.
Before we knew it was time for dinner and so we made our way to the hotel’s 3 AA rosette award-winning Dower House restaurant, overseen by Executive Head Chef David Campbell, previously Head Chef for the England rugby team. In terms of décor, the restaurant has a slight function room feel about it and lacks the period charm of the adjacent townhouse; there’s plenty of heavily patterned carpet, bright lighting and questionable blue glassware and I felt concerned that the food might follow suit, but thankfully it didn’t.
My starter of lemon-scented goat’s curd with Jerusalem artichoke, samphire, wild mushrooms and hazelnut was absolutely delicious, the salty samphire and earthy mushrooms beautifully paired with the creamy, citrus-scented curd, finished with a satisfying crunch of oily hazelnut. The main was just as good if not better, and a beautiful and much-needed riot of colour and flavour on a drab January day; the lightly spiced monkfish was perfectly cooked, served with crispy cauliflower bhaji, fresh avocado salsa, spiced cauliflower, apricot and curry oil, sprinkled with slices of fresh red chilli. The whole meal delivered that rare and joyful combination of dishes that are genuinely exciting and incredibly delicious; every last mouthful was memorable. To complement the exceptional food, there’s an extensive and lovingly curated wine list thanks to charming Head Sommelier Jan-Marc, who was more than happy to recommend a bottle (or two) of something delicious.
With my expectations thoroughly exceeded, we headed back to our suite where the curtains had been drawn, mood lighting set and on the bed lay a tray laden with cosy slippers and a fragrant pillow spray; talk about spoiled.
And what a genuine thrill it was to wake up on the iconic Royal Crescent; I swung the windows open like Scrooge on Christmas morning and could barely believe my eyes. We had breakfast delivered to the room in order to eke out every last minute spent in our splendid suite; it arrived on not one but two trays, and our coffee table was expertly transformed in a flurry of linen and fresh flowers, before being carefully laid with freshly squeezed juice, pastries, the hotel’s own spiced Bircher muesli and more.
We were sad to say goodbye to Bath, a beautiful city with so much to offer, but with its easy proximity to London we left feeling confident that we’d return. And as for the hotel, well, it was positively dreamy. Despite the grand surroundings and impeccably high standards there was no hint of stuffiness, and to stay in such a picture-perfect and historically significant location was an unforgettable treat - and one that I’d highly recommend.
Room rates start from £330 for a Double Deluxe room on a B&B basis. 16 Royal Cresent, Bath BA1 2LS www.royalcrescent.co.uk. Published online at Essential Surrey and SW London
